PBA Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jason Perkins would rather see the Phoenix Fuel Masters go deep in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs than him winning an individual award.
With Kiefer Ravena of NLEX Road Warriors, Paul Zamar of Blackwater Elite and San Miguel Beermen Christian Standhardinger disqualified, Perkins is favored to bag the top rookie honors.
Ravena, Zamar and Standhardinger were all ineligible for the ROY award with them unable to play the required 70 percent of their team’s games in the 2017-2018 PBA Season.
“I don’t want to go Rookie of the Year without making the playoffs,” said the former De La Salle University Green Archers big man. “I just want to make the playoffs first, especially in my rookie year.”
“I thought about it (ROY award) a little bit but I’m just focused on winning games for Phoenix,” he added. “It’s not about me, it’s about our team so I’m focusing on wins and losses.”
In the ongoing Governors Cup, Perkins is averaging 13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. An improvement from his numbers of 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12 games in the Philippine Cup.
“I’m really lucky to have the teammates that keep giving me different lessons even when I play bad or something goes wrong,” Perkins said. “They’re always in my ear even when I go back to the bench.”
“For sure, I’m getting better, I’m learning not only as a basketball player but also as a person. They’re giving me life lessons so it’s good. Definitely getting better,” he added.
As of press time, the Fuel Masters are fighting in a do-or-die quarterfinals match with two-time Governors’ Cup runner-up Meralco Bolts for the fourth and finals semifinals seat.
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Bacolod City is very much prepared to host the Philippine Azkals’ home matches in the 2018 Asian Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup this month at the Panaad Park and Stadium.
Philippine Football Federation’s (PFF) Mariano Araneta Jr. said this is the first time Bacolod City would be hosting Suzuki Cup matches since the ASEAN Football Championship Qualifiers in 2006.
“The AFF Suzuki Cup makes its return to the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City,” Araneta said. “We invite all football stakeholders and more importantly, the fans to support the Men’s National Team in their home matches.”
Araneta added that the new Suzuki Cup tournament format has granted the Azkals playing two home matches and they chose to hold it in Bacolod City due to its huge football fan base.
The national men’s football squad will have two home matches played at Panaad Stadium — on Nov. 13 against Singapore and on Nov. 21 against powerhouse Thailand.
The Azkals will also play two away match against Timor Leste on Nov. 17 at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium and against Indonesia on Nov. 25 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
If ever the Azkals will be successful in the group stage, the semifinals round will be from Dec. 1 to 6, with the two-legged championship series being held on Dec. 11 and 15.
In the 2016 edition of the Suzuki Cup, the Azkals, then under Thomas Dooley, failed to make it past the group stage after losing 0-1 to Thailand./PN
